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Surface and Volume Integrals

Surfaces and volumes are the natural domains and boundaries in three-dimensions. In this document we take the techniques of repeated integration 1 and apply them to typical domains in applied mathematics. Change of Variable Although we often model systems in the more conventional Cartesian coordinate system 2, it is often more natural to use other coordinate systems such as polar coordinates3 in two dimensions, cylindrical polar coordinates 4 or spherical polar coordinates5 in three dimensions. Hence we often need to transform our equations between one coordinate system and another, requiring a change of variable. Also, as is the case in one-variable integration6, a change of variable can make an integral easier to evaluate. Two Dimensions First in two dimensions, let the normal Cartesian coordinates x and y be defined in terms of alternative variables u and v; x=x(u,v), y=y(u,v), then

where R is the domain in u,v coordinates which is equivalent to the domain R in Cartesian coordinates and J is the Jacobian of the transformation. The Jacobian is defined as follows:

(Note the |*| denotes the determinant7 of the matrix and the denotes partial derivatives8.) Three Dimensions In three dimensions, let the normal Cartesian coordinates x,y and z be defined in terms of alternative variables u,v and w; x=x(u,v,w), y=y(u,v,w), and z=z(u,v,w) then

Repeated Integration Cartesian Coordinate System 3 Polar Coordinate System 4 Cylindrical Polar Coordinates 5 Spherical Polar Coordinates 6 Integration 7 Inverse of a 2x2 Matrix 8 Partial Differentiation
1 2

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where R is the domain in u,v coordinates which is equivalent to the domain R in Cartesian coordinates and

(Note the |*| denotes the determinant9 of the matrix.)

2D Cartesian to Polar transformation In the polar coordinate system10 the Cartesian coordinates are written in terms of different variables; a radial and angular coordinate: The Jacobian for the change of variable from Cartesian to polar coordinates is given by

Hence

Example Find First note the domain of integration: y

10

Inverse of a 3x3 Matrix Polar Coordinate System

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First we make the substitution integration in terms of r and .

and reconfigure the domain of

The domain of integration in terms of r and is illustrated in the following graph.

3D Cartesian to Cylindrical Polar Coordinates In the cylindrical polar coordinate system11 the Cartesian coordinates are written in terms of different variables:

11

Cylindrical Polar Coordinate System

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Example z Find 2 plane x=y y

/4 x

Note the domain of integration; it is bounded by the planes z=0, z=2, y=0 and x=y. In cylindrical coordinates we note that R ranges from 0 to , ranges from 0 to /4 and z ranges from 0 to 2. Hence we can rewrite the integral in the form:

written in terms of different variables:

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Example Find

where R represents a sphere of radius 3. Answer Substituting